Somalian Waters - Eastern and Northeastern coasts are high-risk areas for hijackings. Ships not making scheduled calls to ports in these areas should keep at least 75 miles and if possible 100 miles from the coast. Use of radiocommunications including VHF in these waters should be kept to a minimum.

London, 29 January 2003 - The vulnerability of shipping to terrorist attacks is highlighted in a report on piracy and other criminal attacks at sea issued by the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

The IMB annual piracy report for 2002 says that attacks like the one in the Gulf of Aden last October, when the French tanker Limburg was rammed by a boat packed with explosives, were difficult to prevent. "No shipboard response can protect the ship in these circumstances."

The only answer was for coastal states to make sure that approaches to their ports were secure. IMB recommended that port authorities designate approach channels under coast guard or police supervision from which all unauthorized craft would be banned.

"The risk of terrorist attack can perhaps never be eliminated, but sensible steps can be taken to reduce the risk," the IMB said. "The issue here is how seriously do the governments take the threat of maritime terrorism…Post-Limburg, we cannot continue to hope for the best and ignore the lessons."

Commenting on last year's tally of 370 attacks on shipping at sea worldwide - up from 335 in 2001 - IMB noted that most occurred while ships were at anchor. A marked increase in successful boarding by pirates combined with a drop in the number of attempted attacks suggested that many ships were complacent about the need for additional precautionary measures. "Vigilant anti-piracy watch is still the best deterrent," the report said.

There was a substantial rise in hijackings, up from 16 to 25 incidents. Many involved smaller boats, such as tugs, barges and fishing boats, in the Malacca Straits and Indonesian waters. Crime syndicates in the area were believed to be targeting vessels carrying valuable palm oil and gas oil.

IMB Director Pottengal Mukundan commented: "In some parts of the world it is all too easy to board a merchant vessel unlawfully. Against the current concern in respect of maritime terrorism, it is vital that coastal states allocate resources to patrolling their waters more effectively. Failing this, we do not foresee a reduction in these incidents."

Although the number of crew killed in 2002 was down to 10 compared with 21 in 2001, that figure concealed a chilling statistic - 24 passengers or crew were missing, and most of these must be considered dead. The report's summary of attacks on ships frequently noted that pirates threw crew members into the sea, leaving them to drown.

Indonesia again experienced the highest number of attacks, with 103 reported incidents in 2002. Piracy attacks in Bangladesh ranked second highest with 32 attacks and India was third with 18 attacks.

The waters off Somalia are among the most dangerous in the world. "The risk of attack to vessels staying close to the coastline from Somali armed militias has now increased from one of possibility to certainty," the IMB said..

"Any vessel, not making a scheduled call in a Somali port, which slows down, or stops close to the Somali coast will be boarded by these gangs." They had extorted substantial sums from owners for the return of the vessel and crew.

The IMB Piracy Reporting Centre in Kuala Lumpur, which runs a satellite warning system for ships at sea, was a major contributor to the report. The Centre provides assistance free of charge to ships that have been attacked. A weekly summary of the centre's daily satellite reports is posted on the Internet at www.icc-ccs.org. This front-line unit of IMB in its fight against piracy is funded by donations from the shipping industry.

The IMB's Annual Report on piracy seeks not only to list the facts, but also to analyze developments in piracy and to identify piracy-prone areas so that crews can take preventive action. Copies of the report, priced £18 inclusive of postage, and further information can be obtained from:

A sailor from Falconara, Italy, was killed on his catamaran near Caracas, Venezuela, on January 30 2004.

According to the press report, Bruno Bianchella was sailing from Trinidad with two friends, when pirates from a small motor boat carrying at least eight people boarded the catamaran. They were armed, and while Bruno's two friends went below to get the money, the pirates shot the Italian sailor and fled the scene. The two friends, Daniel Fusco and Lidio Banchetti, were unharmed.”

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Pirates shot and killed an Italian sailboat captain at sea after robbing him and two companions, Venezuelan police said Friday.

Two survivors said the pirates shot Bruno Bianchella, 49, in the head after he tried to flee into the cabin of his sailboat, said Jose Zerpa, chief of the Margarita Island unit of Venezuela's federal investigative police.

After the assailants fled on a small motorboat, Fusco and Banchetti set off a sonar alarm that alerted the coast guard.

The pirates escaped before Venezuelan authorities reached the site about 50 kilometres off Margarita, Zerpa said. They are believed to have been heading toward Trinidad and Tobago.

The Italians were sailing from St. Vincent of the Grenadines to the Venezuelan port city Puerto La Cruz when eight people on an old motorboat approached them to ask for water. Two of the assailants then boarded the sailboat and pulled out guns.

Zerpa said the Italians had trouble understanding the assailants' Spanish and in the ensuing confusion, Bianchella tried to flee and was shot.

Italian diplomats were arranging for Bianchella's body to be sent home to Italy, Zerpa said. He said Fusco and Banchetti were in Margarita answering questions from authorities but were not suspects themselves.

Bianchella's boat, which was named "Joe's Dog" and flew South African flags, was still anchored in Margarita.

Zerpa said pirate attacks are not uncommon along the Venezuelan coast but this was the first in Margarita waters in his six years as police chief. "

Two things to remember: A look at the stats will tell you, the VAST preponderance of 'pirate' attacks are directed at commercial shipping. Only a handful a year hit pleasure yachts.

2) By the International Maritime Organization's definition, everything, including stealing zinc anodes off the hull (which Gord mentions above) is considered piracy. The VAST number of 'pirate' incidents are simple theft.

I have just finished writing the first in a series of articles on piracy for SEA Yachting magazine. Once it's published, I will post it to the forum.